2015 Jenny Cole Memorial Shoot

17 October 2015 - SSAA Eagle Park

The 2015 Jenny Cole Memorial Shoot was held at the SSAA Victoria Eagle Park Range on Saturday, October 17. This event began as an interclub shoot between the Little River Raiders and the Big Game Rifle Club (BGRC) to allow members from both clubs to try out each other’s disciplines and firearms, while boosting interaction. As the occasion became more popular, shooters from other disciplines started joining in. The day was then transformed into a Memorial Shoot to remember Jenny Cole, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2010. Funds raised go to the McGrath Foundation in its continuing efforts to combat the struggle faced by people diagnosed with this disease.

The winner of the 2015 Jenny Cole Memorial Trophy - an engraved belt buckle - was Don Galliano from the BGRC. Jenny’s granddaughter, Tayla Bumpstead, presented the award to Don as he was the shooter deemed to have had the most fun on the day.

The gathering involved a group of spectators and an excited bunch of shooters from the Australian Deer Association, BGRC and Little River Raiders coming along. Among the shooters were several SSAA Victoria board members. Some well-travelled visitors, including RusLer and Double Barrel Dave, of Warrnambool, and Slick Dick and Molly Dooka, of Bendigo, also made the trip to Little River.

After a quick safety briefing and some instruction on Single Action and Big Game Rifle firearms, the day began with the participants splitting into two groups. One band started the event at ranges 15, 16 and 18, with three stages of Single Action, and the other unit headed to the Big Game Rifle Range for the three events of Hunting Class, Special Snap and Double Rifles. The use of Single Action revolvers and Lever Action rifles and shotguns all in the same event was a pleasant change for the BGRC shooters. And the chance to use some large-calibre double rifles had the Cowboy contingent pleased.

Alister Cooke, from the BGRC, was the top scorer of the day, with Lance Eastwood winner of the BGRC events. Top scorer of the Single Action events was Slick Dick, aka Richard Fletcher, from the Bendigo Bushrangers Single Action Club. The BGRC came out the overall winner of the competition and will be the custodians of the Jenny Cole Memorial Combined Shoot Shield until next year’s meet. Thanks to Sambucca Kid and Maree Cooper for taking care of the scoring.

The raffle, run over the preceding weeks to raise funds for the McGrath Foundation, went well. Sincere thanks goes to the Geelong and Victorian businesses that donated prizes, including Adrian from Norlane Tyre Service; David from Associated Cold Treads; Simon from Middleton’s Heating and Cooling; Rod and Alex from The Outdoor Sportsman; Dale from QAH Auto Spare Parts; Steve from Silver Shadow Projectiles; Andrew from Precision Engine Reconditioners; Clive from Winchester Australia; SSAA Victoria President Denis Moroney; the SSAA Eagle Park Range Consultative Committee; Eagle Park Range staff Paul, Andrea and Sue; SSAA Victoria CEO Jack Wegman; the staff at the SSAA Victoria State Office and the SSAA sub-clubs and members who donated prizes. Several businesses are proud to support the effort, so please support them when you can. Congratulations to all those who won raffle prizes. The total handed over to the McGrath Foundation was $3630.

The great success of this event is thanks to the hard work and dedication of a few people who always stand in to assist and the generosity of the organisations and individuals who donated prizes. Thanks to Bec, Laurie and Blake Colville for flitting about taking happy snaps with the camera.

The next Jenny Cole Memorial Shoot will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2016 (Breast Cancer Month). The event is open to anyone interested in having a go at different shooting disciplines. For more information about next year’s schedule contact Ian ‘Grizzly Grumps’ Cole at [email protected] or 0400 824 284.

by Grizzly Grumps, of Little River Raiders

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